Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1887-09-23
THE SHAFTS REvEnus



Persia Is relatively rich, for she owes
nothing TO bankers or bondholders
either at home or abroad. She has nd
debt and the Shah covers snug sum
into the treasury as a reserve
1t has been sneeringly said BY the Rus
slams, who wish to belittle In order ~
weaken her. that Persia has no national
debt because she has no credit. The
truth OF this assertion can only be PROV
ed when the Shah attempts TO raise 4
loan, which has never yet been done
by the Persian Government. or course.
II more we're spent for internal i'm
provement Of if there were less specu-
lation, there might be less reserve or i
larger revenue. But the fact remains
that while something is done to pro-
mote material progress, something is
still annually saved.
The revenues of The Shah come from
many sources. The land, live stock
customs, excise and mines and fisher.
les furnish the chief sources Of revenue
The collection Of some of the taxes Is
attended with considerable risk. and
results in not unfrequent riots and
bloodshed.
Regarding some Of his revenues the
Shah very wisely continues to follow a
method common in Europe in former
ages, that is, farming. BY farming the
pearl fisheries, for example, the Shah
may receive less than if the tax on them
could be justly collected and turned
over to his Government. But as that
Is practically impossible, the Shah
makes sure of given sum on which he
can depend, and leaves it to the agent
who farms them to make his profit
from whatever surplus may accrue.
But while the Shah is adyantagcd by
Ire system of farming, the people are
much more heavily oppressed. as they
are in the hands of the officer who
farms that revenue. Nominally he NAV
keep to the letter of the law in collect
ing only such ratio on the products as
the law prcscribes. tin reality great
abuses grow out of the greed of the
farmer.
The turquoise mines are filrmed.
They are less productive than formerly,
while the manufacture of excellent
spurious. turquoises in Europe ha
tended somewhat to lower the demand
for the gc.iuine article. The difficulty
Of getting the stone is also excessive
as the mines are growing deeper all the
time and the shafts are very danger
GUS Many are killed in the Persian
turquoise mines, which are found ir
the province of Herman in the South
but the best ones are mined in Khoras
san in the North.
The fisheries of Persia are farmed
They are chiefly in the Caspian Sci
and in the mouth of the rivers empty
ing into it, and consist chiefly of sal
mon and sturgeon. The lockwood il
the forests adjoining the sea is ais,
farmed. This has been a considerable
article of commerce, but the supply il
now falling off.
The customs are farmed and form
very important source of revenue not
withstanding that by the treaty o
Turkomantchai with Russia, all good
entered from nations enjoying its priv
ileges under the most favored ma
ton" clanse pay maximum duty o
five per centum. Turkey has an en-
tirely different treaty with Persia which
allows the two countries to claim a tel
per cent. duty. Abuses doubtless ex
scf 70 Of
c;ally in the matter of peculation
But the wonder to me is that under ex
isting circumstances the abuses are
not greater. Land tax also forms
most important source of revenue.
The nomads of Persia, who humble
nearly a million, are taxed by month
| ly levy on their flocks, which is mod
crate and collected with regularity
This tax or part of it is farmed. Gen
orally it is raised without difficulty ex
cept among the warlike tribes of tn
Southwest. Among them the tax gath
erer only ventures attended by stroni
guard of soldiers.
| The Shah adds still further and YER
materially to his revenues by the pres
| ents he receives in coin from the hig
| dignitaries he visits from time to time
and from the sale of important office
to the highest bidder. Not that h
awards an Office to any one VITO ovel
bids Others, but to the one who, of sey
eral having ability, adds to talents 70
the post the largest pecuniary consid
GRAFTON. What these sums are can b
only surmised from general report; bu
that large amounts annually go int
the Golfers of the Shah in this way is
fact well assured; indeed it is pra(
tice that has existed in Persia for ages
S. G. W. Benjamin. in Philadelphia
| Press.
Boston and Detroit.
1t was on a west-bound train. A Bo